Safety lock for railway switches



June 25, 1940. w. T. HARDY 2,205,526

SAFETY LOOK FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Feb. 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1awe/whom W/zz /AM 7' M420) Jun e 25, 1940. w, HARDY I 2,205,526

SAFETY LOCK FOR RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Feb. 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7l7 l8 l9 3. 3mm

WILL/AM 7. Hmear CZWMN Y Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT,OFFICE SAFETY LOCK non RAILWAY SWITCHES William T. Hardy, Bay City, Tex.Application February 3, 1939, Serial No. 254,368

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a safety lock for railway switches.

An object of the invention is to provide a safety lock adapted to beused in connection with the conventional switch stand and switchthrowing meddlers and in such a case the switch is liable to beaccidentally shifted into open position often resulting in accidents. Itis the main object of this invention to provide a lock mechanism whichwill normally lock the switch in closed position to permit trains topass along the main line and which will remain in locked positionirrespective of the breakage or disability of the switch throwingapparatus.

It is another object of the invention to provide a switch locking devicethat may be readily released when it is desired to throw the switch intoopen position and which is of such construction as to be easily shieldedor protected from injury or breakage of parts.

With the above and other objects in View the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a section of the main railway trackshowing a switch associated therewith in closed position, together withthe switch stand, switch throwing mechanism and switch lock.

Figure 2 shows a transverse, sectional view taken on the line 22 ofFigure 1 but showing the switch in open position.

Figure 3 Shows an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional View showingthe switch locked in closed position, and

Figure 4 shows an enlarged, longitudinal, sectional view.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeralsl and 2 designate the rails of the main track and the numerals 3, 4designate the rails of th switch track. The numeral 5 designates theswitch stand in which is rotatably mounted the Vertical shaft 6 whoselower end is formed with the throw arm I. The shaft 6 may be turned backand forth by means of the handle 8 which is fixed thereto and which isprovided with a depending lug 9 adapted to engage either of the notchesH3 or H of the table l2 to move the switch points into closed or openposition. The 10' free ends of the rails 2, 3 form the switch pointswhich are fastened to the shift bar l3 arranged underneath them and alink I4 is pivoted at one end to the, outer end of the throw arm land isconnected at its other end to the adjacent end of the bar [3.

It is obvious that by shifting the handle 8 the switch may be throwninto open position, or into closed position. The mechanism hereinbeforedescribed is conventional and in common use. It

often happens, however, that the switch throwing mechanism may becomebroken and in such case there is nothing to prevent the switch frombecoming accidentally opened by vibration of passing trains or fromother causes.

The safety lock hereinafter described is intended for the purpose ofsecurely holding the switch locked in closed position as shown inFigure 1. For this purpose a plate-like casing I5 is supported on thecross-tie l6 and forms a support for the rail 4 as well as for theadjacent switch point of the rail 2 as more clearly shown in Figures 1and 3. This plate 15 is securely bolted or otherwise secured to the tieunderneath and is formed with a guideway l1 therein in which the releasebar I8 is slidably mounted, the inner end of said release bar beingtapered-or wedge-shaped. A push rod I9 has its inner end connected tothe outer end of said push bar and its outer end slides through abearing in the bracket 20, provided for the purpose and secured to theside of the tie 2|. The outer end of the rod [9 has the head 22 thereonand surrounding said rod between the bracket 20 and the head'22 there isa strong coil spring 23. This spring normally holds the releasebar I8withdrawn, or in outer position, as shown in Figure 3.

Pivoted to the inner side of the switch point of the rail 2 there is aninwardly extended latch 24 whose free end is downwardly turned and thusadapted to project through an opening 25 in the upper side of the casingl5. A pressure spring 26 has one end secured tosaid switch point and itnormally presses downwardly against the latch 24, as shown in Figure 3.66

Pivotally mounted within the inner end of the guideway I! there is arelease arm 21 whose free end 21a is upturned and in alignment with theopening 25.

When the switch is in open position, as shown in Figure 1, the latch 24will engage through the opening 25 and will securely lock the switch inthat position. The latch 24, the opening 25 and the spring 26 are allenclosed and protected by means of a hood 28 which is fastened to thecorresponding switch point.

If it be desired to open the switch the rod 19 may be forced inwardlythus forcing the release bar l8 inwardly and its tapering inner end willengage underneath the free end of the arm 21 elevating it and causingits upturned end 21a to lift the downwardly turned end of'the latch 24'out of the opening 25. The switch will thus be free to be opened by anappropriate manipulation of the lever 8, the latch riding upon the topof the casing l5 as shown in Figure 2.

Upon release of the rod IS the spring 23 will withdraw the release bar18 from under the arm 21 permitting said arm to drop down into inactiveposition. When the switch is again moved to closed position the latch 24will automatically drop through the opening 25 when it comes intoregistration therewith so as to again lock the switch in the closedposition shown in Figures 1 and 3.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a railway track having a switch which includesmovable rails, means connected to the movable rails and effective tomove said rails to open or close the switch, a casing underneath one ofthe track rails having an opening, a latch movably connected to one ofthe movable rails and having a downwardly turned end arranged to drop bygravity into said opening when the switch is moved to one position, ayieldable member normally urging the latch into said opening whereby theswitch will be locked in said position, a release arm housed within thecasing and having an upturned end aligned with said opening and by meansof which the latch may be elevated and released to allow the switch tomove to another position, and

manually operable means efiective when actuated to elevate the arm andlatch to release the latch to allow movement of the switch.

2. The combination with a railway track having a switch which includesmovable rails, means connected to the movable rails and effective tomove said rails to open or close the switch, a casing underneath one ofthe track rails having an opening, a latch movably connected to one ofthe movable rails and having a downwardly turned end arranged to drop bygravity into said opening when the switch is moved to one position, arelease arm housed Within the casing and having an upturned end alignedwith said opening and by means of which the latch may be elevated andreleased to allow the switch to move to another position, and manuallyoperable means effective when actuated to elevate the arm and latch torelease the latch to allow movement of the switch.

WILLIAM 'I. HARDY.

